In considering whether to invest in UC, companies have to build a business case. But are seconds saved the true bottom-line benefit?

"The word productivity is a somewhat wearied term that is perhaps too readily associated with the benefits that Unified Communications (UC) brings to a business," writes Freeform Dynamics' Josie Septhon on the Register.com.

"To some extent this has arisen out of necessity. After all, when companies are trying to put together a business case around UC they need tangible, positive outcomes to help justify the investment, and vague terms such as more efficient communication and collaboration just arent good enough."

"Discussions around productivity benefits have helped to overcome natural resistance to a solution aimed at addressing a problem that typically isnt explicitly acknowledged or understood, i.e., that of communications fragmentation. There is, however, a need for more precision when articulating the benefits," Septhon writes.